Buffalo, New York, Liquid Asphalt Injuries

Liquid Asphalt Injury Attorneys In New York State

Employers Never Have an Excuse to Let Their Guard Down Around Liquid Asphalt. Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and an American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Protecting the Rights of Workplace Accident Victims in New York State. Our Team of Highly Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Could Help You Secure the Compensation You Need to Begin Rebuilding Your Life After Being Injured in a Serious Construction Accident.

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Liquid asphalt is essential for the construction of highways, roads, and roofing materials.

However, for all its many uses, asphalt can pose a significant risk of serious injury to everyone involved in its transportation and application. Safety, more often than not, comes down to an employer’s or a client’s willingness to abide by industry standards without cutting corners.

For nearly 25 years, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has fought for the rights of injured workers in Buffalo and across Upstate New York. If you have been injured in a liquid asphalt accident that was not your fault, our workplace injury lawyers could help you obtain the compensation that you need to reclaim your independence and begin rebuilding your life.

Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a liquid asphalt injury lawyer and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

An Overview Of Liquid Asphalt Accidents

Asphalt is a sticky petroleum-based material that is produced during the processing of crude oil.

Although people have been using asphalt for more than a century, demand has only increased in recent years. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, asphalt’s present-day popularity is a result of its relative efficiency. It is lightweight, at least when compared to similar materials, and can be used to assemble everything from roadways to roofing shingles.

Liquid asphalt, or “bitumen,” can also be used in the construction and production of:

1. Driveways;
2. Highways;
3. Parking lots;
4. Roofing materials; and
5. Sealants.

Asphalt is most often used as a binder, meaning it is mixed with other materials to create a tougher, more durable product. In order for asphalt to be combined with aggregates like sand, gravel, or slag, it must be heated. Temperatures vary but average between 275 and 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Liquid Asphalt and Workplace Safety

Safety precautions typically include:

1. Protecting clothing. Anyone who works with or around liquid asphalt should wear protective clothing. Standards for personal protective equipment vary, but usually include face shields, heavy-duty gloves, and clothing long and thick enough to protect the body from burns.
2. Identifying the right flash point. Bitumen must be stored at the right temperature to avoid the risk of spontaneous ignition. Materials stored at temperatures too close to their flash point could combust, catching on fire and potentially injuring any nearby workers.
3. Maintaining safe equipment. Machinery that is used to store or spread asphalt should be kept in good repair. This often requires regular maintenance by the equipment’s owner or operator.

Since liquid asphalt is hot enough to cause serious injuries, most construction crews and contractors go to great lengths to minimize the risk of workplace accidents. However, mistakes are not uncommon, and they all too often come at a very high cost.

Liquid Asphalt and the Risk of Injury

If liquid asphalt is handled improperly, it could pose a substantial risk of serious injury.

Some of the most common workplace injuries associated with the use of liquid asphalt include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Burns. Even brief contact with heated asphalt or asphalt-containing equipment could cause a thermal burn. Asphalt-related burns, like all burns, vary in severity from mild to moderate to severe. In some cases, thermal burns can trigger additional complications, up to and including life-threatening infections.
2. Chemical injuries. Liquid asphalt can contain “volatile organic compounds,” or VOCs, that can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs. Incidental exposures can trigger chemical burns, whereas repeated or prolonged exposures present a risk of more systemic health risks.
3. Respiratory injuries. The inhalation of liquid asphalt byproducts, including fumes and vapors, can cause immediate symptoms. These symptoms can trigger short-term discomfort or longer-term health problems.
4. Disfiguring injuries. Liquid asphalt-related burns can be disfiguring. If these disfiguring injuries can be cured, they may require expensive, painful, or time-consuming treatment.
5. Slip-and-fall accident-related injuries. Liquid asphalt-related injuries do not always involve direct contact with heated bitumen. Instead, the presence of slippery surfaces could increase workers’ chances of being involved in a slip-and-fall accident.

You should not have to bear the burden of a liquid asphalt accident that was not your fault.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a negligent employer or contractor, our experienced team of workplace injury lawyers could help you obtain the compensation that you need to begin rebuilding your life. Please send the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an attorney and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Your Potential Damages After Being Injured In A Liquid Asphalt Workplace Accident

Everyone who works in construction knows that many accidents are anything but unavoidable.

However, when you have no choice but to put your faith in an employer’s equipment or a contractor’s apparent expertise, avoiding injury is not always an issue of ensuring that you have followed all the right procedures.

In New York, construction workers who have been injured on the job and through no fault of their own often have a legal right to obtain compensation for their injuries. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you could be entitled to damages for:

1. Your outstanding medical bills;
2. The costs of anticipated care;
3. Physical rehabilitation;
4. Lost income from work;
5. Diminished earning potential;
6. Physical pain and suffering;
7. Mental anguish;
8. Loss of enjoyment;
9. Disfigurement; and
10. Wrongful death.

A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. knows what it takes to build a compelling, evidence-based claim for compensation, and we have the results to prove it. Since our founding in 2005, our team has helped our clients across New York State obtain more than $250 million in damages.

We could help you, too.

Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to an attorney and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in New York State. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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